On October 28th, the Friends of IHES (Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques) hosted the Cinema and Mathematics Gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, an event dedicated to celebrating the remarkable intersection between cinematic storytelling and mathematical discovery…
Held under the high patronage of Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States, and Cédrik Fouriscot, Consul General of France in New York, the gala brought together leading figures from science, art, and culture. The Honorary Committee featured His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, alongside renowned actors Jeremy Irons, Jean Reno, and Forest Whitaker.
Also among the honourees were Fields Medal Laureate Manjul Bhargava, who served as mathematical advisor on The Man Who Knew Infinity, and Thibault Damour, Permanent Professor Emeritus at IHES and one of the world’s foremost physicists.
The evening celebrated the creative dialogue between mathematics and cinema, exploring how both disciplines share a pursuit of beauty, logic, and universal truth. Through film, complex mathematical ideas can reach new audiences, while mathematics continues to inspire stories of human curiosity and discovery — an exchange that this elegant New York evening placed at the very heart of its celebration.
Photos: ©️ Roy Rochlin
